


Beneath Your Beautiful

by Your1upGirl



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil 2 - Fandom, Resident Evil Vendeta
Genre: Cleon, Drinking is involved, F/M, I wrote this a long time ago on tumblr and now I'm posting it here, Mentions of Suicide, No Beta, Swearing, enjoy, i hope you guys like it, this is my first Cleon fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 21:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29302911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Your1upGirl/pseuds/Your1upGirl
Summary: Okay so I picked this as a title because I was listening to a song by the same name by Labrinth and I came up with this. I chose Vendetta!Leon for this fic, it just seemed to match. But yeah, I hope y’all like it!
Relationships: Leon S. Kennedy/Claire Redfield
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	Beneath Your Beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I picked this as a title because I was listening to a song by the same name by Labrinth and I came up with this. I chose Vendetta!Leon for this fic, it just seemed to match. But yeah, I hope y’all like it!

“No.” That was the only word said once Leon finished speaking. Rebecca crossed her arms and matched his glare; their way of silently challenging each other when one of them has made an idiotic decision.

“It’s not up to you if I follow through with this. No one else is willing to do it—“

“They won’t do it because they know this mission is beyond dangerous.” Chris interrupted, “No person in their right mind would even go in with a team, and now your dumb-ass is saying you’ll go in alone?” Chris’ bewildered expression was only met with a nonchalant shrug from Leon.

“Leon,” Rebecca began once more, this time with a softer tone, “You can’t go into that facility by yourself. It's-it’s too risky.”

“The DSO and BSAA need the data in that facility to take down one of Umbrella’s larger branches. The only way to get that data is in the main computer, we’ve tried hacking remotely and every other way to break in and nothing work.” He stood up ready to leave the room and not caring about the enmity and disbelief in Chris’ eyes, following Leon as he walked. “The DSO needs me to do this, so I’m going. This isn’t up for debate anymore.”

“Since when did you turn in to a mindless grunt Leon?” Chris roared, judgement dripping from his voice and he slammed his fists on the table of the small meeting room.

“Chris please—“

“No, he needs to hear this.” The two men didn’t look away from each other’s scowls. “You’ve seen this right?” Chris tossed the dossier across the table. Some photos fell out as it slid to Leon’s side; but he didn’t once glance down at them. Why bother? He already knew what was in store for him; and even then there was a gut feeling that these photos didn’t capture every threat that could lie in this building. No matter which way you looked at it – unless you knew the traps like the back of your hand – there was no way someone could make it out alive.

“You are the best agent the DSO has, I get that, but being the best isn’t going to cut it with this one Leon.”

“Are you done lecturing me? I have somewhere to be.” As Leon reached for the door, Rebecca stood from her chair. Anger and sadness in her eyes, yelling her final plea.

“You can’t go Leon! It’s suicide! You’ll either be captured by them or they will kill you!”

Nothing more was said. Leon left the room.

Chris rubbed his face in defeat. Rebecca sat back down. Neither knew what do say let alone what to do. The ticking of the wall clock, ticked for the next five minutes in the deafening silence.

Finally, Rebecca spoke, “We can’t stop him.” A grunt of agreement from Chris. “But you know one person who can talk him off the ledge.” A glimmer of hope shined in her eyes, as if there is a saving grace they could grasp.

“I don’t have Ada’s number.” Chris replied after giving a slight scoff. Why would she think that Ada could help?

“I’m not talking about her.” Leaning closer to Chris, he realized who she was talking about.

A sigh was heard, “I don’t know if she can get here in time.”

“She would drop everything for him and you know it.”

“I wouldn’t even—“

“Chris!” Rebecca raised her voice getting the man’s attention. “We need Leon to stay. So if she is the only person who can make him see the insanity of his plan, you need to make the call.”

Rebecca had a point. So he quickly picked up his phone and dialed.

Another beer gone, Rebecca’s and Chris’ words fester in his mind, but Leon still feels like this is what he needs to do. The DSO gave him the assignment and they knew the high risk of sending him. So much so that they gave him a day to think it over, giving him an opportunity to opt out. And yet this risk somehow still didn’t seem to bother him at all.

Phone in hand, Leon was ready to call and let them know he would follow through. But there came a knock that stopped him mid-dial. The clock read 10:30, who would be here this late? He had a gun in hand, a precaution. As he opened the door, surprise displayed on his usually stone face. Leon expected Chris or Rebecca again, hell maybe even Sherry to be on the other side.

But not Claire.

“Surprised to see me?” A soft smile as she spoke.

“Yeah…mainly because Chris told me you’d be in Vancouver at a protest that you’d been planning for months now.” He placed the gun in a side-table drawer but never took his eyes off her.

“Well, at the moment,” She rocked from her heels to the balls of her feet, “I got more important things to take care of at the moment.” A moment of silence, she clicked her tongue, “Can I come in?”

Stepping aside, Leon allowed Claire in the apartment. Her boots clicking against the hardwood. “This place hasn’t changed a bit. You know, you should really try decorating; giving it a personal touch.”

He took in her form as she glanced around the place, she began cleaning up the few beer bottles on the coffee table. Leon always thought that Claire was the embodiment of autumn. Warm spirit, even with appearance: brown, worn leather jacket, dark pair of Levi’s, gray Henley with a few buttons undone, tucked into her jeans, black belt (Claire was so well-dressed Leon checked his plain white T and faded jeans for stains, lucky him there were none). Completing the autumn aesthetic her hair was a red-ish, brown (she must have dyed it again). She was always welcoming to people. Never too overbearing like winter or summer. She didn’t need to be flashy to get your attention; a natural beauty. And, to Leon at least, her autumn warmth was comforting – something about her told him that everything was going to be alright.

But like autumn, Claire was fleeting. Just when you were getting to enjoy who she was, she was gone. And Leon would be forced to face the harsh realities of his own winter.

Claire sat on the couch and Leon had grabbed beers for them.

“So, why aren’t you at the protest? Don’t you want to be there to make sure things don’t go wrong?”

She shrugged, taking a sip, “They can handle it on their own. And I told you, got more important things to take care of.” She gave a look that chastised and gave concern all at once.

He sighed, figuring out the reason for the visit. “You’re hear to tell me not to go.”

“No.”

A side glance was given. What plan did she have?

“I just want you know why you want to go?”

“We need the intel,” Leon sipped the bottle, “That facility has it. Dangerous or not, it has to get done.”

“Uh huh…” Claire wasn’t convinced, “And the DSO…are they aware just how dangerous this is?” She knew how to dig for information, but in this case that skill didn’t matter. Leon didn’t know how to keep anything from her.

“Yes, they do. They even gave me a day to think it over.”

Claire hummed into the sip she took, not looking at him. “So, this mission is so hazardous that the agency you work for, who’ve sent you into some horrific shit before, are so reluctant about this that they gave you the option to back out?”

“That’s what it looks like.” There was a pause between the two before he dared a glance at Claire; same sullen look from before. “What?”

“You can’t really be that stupid. The DSO is giving you a chance to opt out and you’re still going for it? They have never done that Leon. Doesn’t that say anything about the risks? A red flag has to go off at some point in your mind, right?”

“They don’t necessarily want me to go…the survival chances are…low.” He confessed, in a way that made him feel small.

This snapped something in Claire, no longer doing the soft “what’s wrong” routine. Now she was pissed.

“Are you fucking kidding me Leon?” Anger and frustration boiled inside, and she slammed the beer bottle on the coffee table. “They think this is a bad idea just like everyone else. The DSO is blatantly telling you don’t go but you’re still going!” This was yelled as more of a statement than a question and Claire gave a small laugh of disbelief; putting her hand to her forehead, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

“Claire if you just came here to criticize me you can—”

Immediately Claire stood in front of him. They frowned at one another. Her face was a challenge, _Try to make me leave _, it said. Leon tried for another drink of beer but Claire snatched it. A soft “No more alcohol” was spat through gritted teeth and it joined hers on the table.__

__“I don’t need or want your criticism.”_ _

__“I wasn’t trying to—”_ _

__“And you can’t change my mind._ _

__Her head shook, a desperate plea, “I just want to know why.”_ _

__“It’s my job.”_ _

__“Bullshit.”_ _

__“Umbrella needs to be taken—”_ _

__“Just stop with that crap Leon, please!” Her yell was one that he never heard before. It sounded anguished, like a person on the brink of tears. But Claire never cried he thought. Risking a glance, Leon saw that her once blue eyes that filled him with joy were glassy. Yet she still had that headstrong determination on her features._ _

__“I need to know why Leon,” she knelt down to him, her hands on his knees, staring at him, “And I don’t-” She huffed, turning away, needing a moment to compose herself. A tear had already spilled. She didn’t want to cry – it was out of character – but damn it, Leon had this effect on her that she couldn’t control. It made Claire show a softer side. “And I don’t want to talk to the Leon Kennedy who hates Umbrella so much he is willing to do anything to take them down. I want the Leon who just drinks his problems. I want to hear the Leon Kennedy who has been through so much shit he has every kind of PTSD.”_ _

__Claire took another deep breath, this time grabbing his hands in hers, they were rough in comparison. And with an impassioned, longing gaze, softly voiced, “I want to talk to the Leon Kennedy who doesn’t stone wall anyone who tries to get close to him. I want to talk to the Leon Kennedy who helped me at that gas station all those years ago.”_ _

__He furrowed his brows and slightly frowned._ _

__“That rookie cop is in there somewhere and I need him to answer.” Claire stood now, awaiting an answer. But what was Leon to say. That type of raw honesty wasn’t something Leon usually shared. What would his younger self say? How would that rookie respond?_ _

__Back then he practically wore his heart on his sleeve. After years of being put through the ringer and with his type of work, he’s come to learn that people don’t care or want to hear about how you truly feel._ _

__But Claire._ _

__Here she stood, wanting him to expose himself in a way he had never done before. Looking up at her, he felt that warmth again; and he knew he could._ _

__He took a deep breath. “I’m just so…tired Claire.” He hung his head in shame. “This has been my life for years. I have experienced things that I can never forget or describe. And now, I want out.” Ran a hand through his hair. “I can never just leave the DSO, they wouldn’t let me. Even if they did, I could never adapt back into normal life.” He felt a lump in his throat and Claire’s eyes trained solely on him. He had to tell her. “I want out. And…with this mission, the risks, dangers, all the BOWs they have at their disposal, the promise of death, it’s the only way._ _

__There. It was out in the open now. Finished with his monologue Leon leaned forward, only to be caught by Claire. She held him close, his head rested against her stomach. Claire let the words sink in. She knew his job was tough, but she didn’t realize just how far gone he was._ _

__She held him against her tighter. “I had no idea.” Words escaped her. “Death isn’t the only way out of this. You can adapt back into society. And if you honestly think you can’t then you need to find someone to help you.” There was no answer, so she continued. “Someone who understands all the shit you’ve been through and is willing to take it and help you one day at a time. And it won’t matter to them if sometimes it’s one step forward and two back or if you drink too much another time.” Claire knelt and cupped his face with her hand. “It won’t matter, the awful, ‘I just want to die’ days won’t scare them. Being there for you, that’s all they care about. Because they love you.”_ _

__Leon absorbed every word. It brought him a new feeling; it was the first breath of a drowning man. He felt alive._ _

__He leaned closer to her, resting their foreheads against each other, eyes closed._ _

__Silence in the room._ _

__Breath shuddering._ _

__“Don’t take the mission Leon.”_ _

__An audible gulp. Then shaking his head ‘no’._ _

__And then breathlessly,_ _

__“I love you.”_ _

__She kissed him. It was a fervent to her and felt this longing feeling finally relieved. As if all the years of waiting for this moment finally paid off; she wanted to stay in this moment forever. It tasted of beer and set her whole body on fire. She could smell a faint aftershave to him, and her hand went through his hair slowly. Never had Claire ever experienced a kiss with so much passion and need, it completely shocked her senses._ _

__Leon matched her want with a force. With this kiss he felt that he had a reason to keep going. The kiss felt like reuniting with an old, but never forgotten lover after years of separation. Her lips molded perfectly to his. This felt like a promise she would never leave, and he would do better for her. Leon put his hand at the nape of her neck and pulled her closer. He finally felt at ease, he finally felt sober after so long. He finally got to experience what he should have done back in 1998._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! :3


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